CHAP

/tʃæp/
Học thuật
Thân thiện
Definition
  1. Noun:

    • A man or boy; a fellow: An informal, friendly, or slightly old-fashioned term for a male person.
    • A sore crack or split in the skin: A painful fissure, especially on the lips or hands, often caused by exposure to cold or dry weather.
  2. Verb:

    • To crack or split open: For skin or a surface to become rough, dry, and cracked, typically due to cold weather, dryness, or exposure.
Usage Examples
  • Noun (Person):

    • He's a friendly chap.
    • I met an interesting chap at the conference.
  • Noun (Skin Condition):

    • The cold wind gave me a painful chap on my lip.
    • She uses balm to prevent chaps on her hands in winter.
  • Verb:

    • If you don't wear gloves, your hands will chap.
    • The desert sun can chap your skin severely.
Advanced Usage
  • "Old chap": A very traditional, affectionate term of address for a man, implying familiarity and friendliness.

    • Cheer up, old chap! Things will get better.
  • "Chap's" (as a contraction): Informal possessive form of 'chap' (the person).

    • That chap's car is parked in my spot. (Meaning: That fellow's car...)
Variants and Related Words
  • Chapped (adjective): Describing skin that is cracked and sore.

    • Her chapped lips needed medicated balm.
  • Chapping (noun/gerund): The process or result of becoming chapped.

    • Chapping is a common problem in dry climates.
Synonyms
  • Noun (Person): Fellow, guy, bloke (UK informal), lad.
  • Noun (Crack): Fissure, crack, split.
  • Verb: Crack, split, roughen.
Related Phrasal Verbs

(Note: 'Chap' is not commonly used in phrasal verb constructions. Its verbal use is typically intransitive or passive.)

Related Idioms
  • To be chapped: To be irritated or annoyed (slang, derived from the physical condition).
    • I was really chapped when I missed the bus.
  • Lick one's chaps: An old idiom meaning to show eagerness or anticipation (from an older, now rare noun 'chap' meaning jaw or cheek).
    • He was licking his chaps at the thought of the feast.
Noun
  1. (usually in the plural) leather leggings without a seat; joined by a belt; often have flared outer flaps; worn over trousers by cowboys to protect their legs
  2. a crack in a lip caused usually by cold
  3. a long narrow depression in a surface
  4. a boy or man
    • that chap is your host
    • there's a fellow at the door
    • he's a likable cuss
    • he's a good bloke
Verb
  1. crack due to dehydration
    • My lips chap in this dry weather